Iran Majlis speaker blasts US anti-Syria war rhetoric

Press TV-(Wed Aug 28, 2013) Iran Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani has condemned the US-led war rhetoric against Syria, warning against the repercussions of any foreign military intervention in the Arab country.

On Wednesday, Larijani warned the US, the West and the Israeli regime of the repercussions of a possible strike on Syria over unfounded claims by militants that Damascus has used chemical weapons against civilians. “You may [be able to] launch an operation against Syria with the help of certain regional countries … but you won’t be the ones that will continue it,” Larijani warned.Hegemonic powers and the Zionist regime of Israel are beating the drum of war even before the UN team in Syria launched its probe to determine who was behind the latest chemical attack in the country, said the top parliamentarian. He further cautioned Israel against any “act of sedition” in Syria, saying the Tel Aviv regime will pay an even higher price than that of its 33-day aggression against Lebanon if it engages in war with Damascus. On August 21, militants operating inside Syria and the foreign-backed Syrian opposition claimed that hundreds had been killed in a government chemical attack on militant strongholds in the Damascus suburbs of Ain Tarma, Zamalka and Jobar. However, the Syrian government categorically rejected the baseless claim, and announced later that the chemical attack had actually been carried out by the militants themselves as a false-flag operation. Larijani said there have been numerous reports indicating that terrorist groups have smuggled chemical weapons into Syria over the recent months. Since Tuesday, speculations have become stronger about the possibility of a military attack on Syria. Media outlets have been reporting US plans for likely surgical attacks, which would be in the form of “cruise-missile strikes,” and “could rely on four US destroyers in the Mediterranean.” The plan, however, seems to be awaiting US President Barack Obama’s go-ahead. Israeli media reported on Tuesday that Tel Aviv has deployed its Patriot missiles near Syria border north of the occupied Palestinian territories, where another missile system known as Iron Dome has been already operating. Iran, Russia and China, among other countries, have warned against foreign military intervention in Syria, which has been gripped by deadly unrest since 2011.